Mail-carrier&#39;s box.



W. T. ROCHE.

MAIL UARRIBRS BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED 111111.20, 1912,

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

WILLIAM T. ROCHE, 0F EARLY, IOWA.

MAIL-CARRIERS Box.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 20, 1912.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913. Serial No. 685,024.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM T- ROCHE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Early, in the county of Sac and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Mail- Carriers Box, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mail carriers boxes, and is designed more particularly for rural mail carriers use, and has for its ob ject a device of this class of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this class with means for securely holding the mail in the box, and designed to deliver the mail to one end of the box as it is delivered from the box by the carrier.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of this class with means designed to be easily and readily adapted so as to securely hold its full capacity of mail or any part thereof.

The above and other features advantages and capabilities of tion, will become apparent from desorption of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a plan view of a device embodying my invention, showing the box partially filled with mail, and having a portion of one of its sides broken away to show the connection to the follower; Fig. 2 shows my invena side elevation of the same, partially in:

cross-section, taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a detailed cross-section taken on the line 38 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction to which the arrows point; and

Fig. 4 shows a detailed cross-section taken on the line 44 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction to which the arrows point.

My invention consists of a rectangular box provided with longitudinal openings in either side, a follower slidably mounted in said openings, and means for drawing said follower lengthwise of said box, said means consisting of a drum, which is provided with a pawl and ratchet, and straps connected to the drum and follower, and means for actuating the drun Referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, I have used the reference numeral 10 to designate the box, which comprises two ends, two sides and a bottom. The sides are provided with longitudinal beveled openings 11, in which is slidably mounted of novelty,

a detailed a follower 12 by means of the hook-shaped members 18, which are secured to said follower at one end by any suitable means. The opposite ends of said hook-shaped members pass through the openings 11 and are provided at their outer ends with an eye 14 designed to fit said beveled openings and to receive a strap'l5. At one end and on the outside of said box a drum 16 is securely mounted on a short shaft 17 which shaft is rotatably mounted in a support 18. Said drum is provided with a flange 19 at one side and a ratchet-wheel 20 at the opposite side; For actuating said drum I provide the shaft 17 at its outer end with a handwheel 21. A pawl 22 is pivotally mounted on the box and is designed to engage the ratchet-wheel and prevent backward turning of the drum.

To obviate the side-pull on the drum when the same is being operated, I provide the sheet-metal bearing members 23, which are rigidly secured'to the end of the box on either side of the drum, and areprovided with a guide-loop 24 in alinement with the longitudinal openings 11. The strap 15 is attached at one end to said drum, and its opposite end is passed over the bearing member 23 and through the guide-loop 24, thence backwardly around the follower 12 and through the eyes 14, thenceforwardly through the guide-opening 24 and over the bearing member 23, and is then attached to the drum diametrically opposite to the opposite end, so that when the drum is actuated the strap will be wound on the drum from both ends, thus pulling the follower equally from both sides. To retard the backward turning of the drum when the )awl is disen a ed from the ratchet-wheel 1 3 b 7 as would be the case when the box is being filled with mail, I provide a thumbscrew 25 set inthe support 18 and adapted to engage the periphery of the flange on said drum.

Assuming that the parts are assembled as heretofore described, and thatit is desired to use my device, the drum is actuated until the follower is drawn up near the forward end of the box. The pawl is then released. The carrier then places the mail in the box in reverse order from that in which it is taken out, and as the mail is thus placed in, the follower is gradually forced backwardly; It is advisable to set the thumbscrew brake sufficiently to require a slight force to move the follower backwardly while the box is being filled with mail, so that the 1 mail is held properly in place. hen the follower has reached its backward limit of movement, or when the carrier has placed in the box such mail as he desires, he then releases the thumb-screw and drops the pawl into engagement with the ratchet-wheel, and actuates the drum by means of the handwheel, thus drawing the follower forwardly until the mail or papers in the box are sufliciently bound to hold them properly in place while the same is being transported. As the mail or papers are delivered from the box, the follower is drawn forwardly by actuating the drum, thus holding the mail securely in place until the entire contents of the box has been delivered.

While I have herein shown and described only one embodiment of my invention, it is 6. In a mail carriers box, the combination to be understood that various changes and of a box having sides, ends and bottom, a modifications may be made by those skilled l in the art, without departing from the scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a box having sides, ends and bottom, a follower supported and slidably mounted in said sides, a drum rotatably mounted on the-outside of one of said ends, the axis of said drum being in a horizontal plane at right angles to said end, means for operatively connecting said drum with said follower, and means for actuating said drum.

2. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a box having sides, ends and a bottom, longitudinal beveled openings in said sides, a follower supported and slidably mounted in said openings, a drum rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, the axis of said drum being in a horizontal plane at right angles to said end, a strap passing around said follower and having its ends connected to said drum diametrically opposite toeach other, and means for actuating said drum.

3. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a box having sides, ends, and bottom, a longitudinal beveled opening in each of said sides, a follower in said box, means for supporting and slidably mounting said follower in said openings, said means being provided with loops on their outer end having inwardly diverging sides adapted to engage the beveled edges of said longitudinal openings, a drum rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, and means connecting said drum and said follower for operating said follower when said drum is actuated.

4:. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a holder having sides and an end, a longitudinal opening in each of said sides, a follower in said holder, means secured to said follower for slidably mounting said follower in said openings, a drum rotatably mounted on the outside of one of the said ends, operative connections between said drum and said follower, and means for actuating said drum.

5. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a holder having sides and ends, a follower slidably mounted on said sides, a drum provided with flanges rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, the axis of said drum being in a horizontal plane at right angles to said end, a strap passing around said follower and having its ends connected to said drum diametrically opposite to each other, teeth formed on one of said flanges, a pawl means for actuating said drum.

drum rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, the axis being in a horizontal plane at right angles to each end, a strap passing around said follower and connected to said drum, bearing members provided with loops secured to said end for turning and guiding said strap onto said drum, and means for actuating said drum.

7. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a box having sides, ends and bottom, a follower slidably mounted in said sides, a drum provided with 'a flange rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, the axis of said drum being in a horizontal plane at right angles to said end, a strap passing around said follower and connected to said drum, bearing members with loops secured to said end for turning and guiding said strap onto said drum, teeth on the periphery of said flange, a pawl secured to said end for engaging said teeth, and means for actuating said drum.

8. In a mail carriers box, the combination of a box having sides, ends and bottom, a follower slidably mounted in said sides, a drum provided with flanges rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, the axis of said drum being in a horizontal plane at right angles to said end, a strap passing around said'follower and connected to said drum, bearing members with loops secured to said end for turning and guiding said strap onto said drum, teeth formed in the periphery of one of said flanges, a pawl secured to said end for engaging said teeth, means engaging the other flange on said drum for retarding the movement of said drum, and means for actuating said drum.

9. In a device of the class described, a receptacle, a follower slidably mounted in said receptacle, a drum mounted on said receptacle and having operative connections with said follower, a flange secured to said drum, means for actuating said drum, and a follower slidably mounted on said sides, a-

engaging said teeth, and

thumb-screw adapted to engage the periphery of said flange to retard the movement of said drum.

10. In a mail oarriers boX, the combination of a holder having sides and an end, a follower in said holder, a drum rotatably mounted on the outside of one of said ends, the axis of said drum being in a horizontal plane at right angles to said end, and means 10 for operatively connecting said drum With WVILLIAM T. ROCHE.

Witnesses:

E. A. SPANG, HAROLD I. KELLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

